Page 143 of Just So You Know, I Don't Work Friday

“I don’t want you to leave,” he said. “I want you to stay.”

“Stay and do what?”

“Stay and live with me,” he said. “Stay and work on your art projects. Stay with me all day and night. Stay and—”

“Finn, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I don’t want you out of my life. I’m saying that even though the housekeeping position was a ruse, I still want you in my house.”

“You don’t have to say that. It’s fine. It’s over. My dad and you have settled your agreement, and—”

“This isn’t about the agreement. That was business,” he said. “I’m falling for you. I know you may find that hard to believe, but I love you, Harriet Campbell. I love you and your beautiful, witty, goofy self, and I love your sisters, and I love how you guys have each other’s backs, and I love your parents and their kooky ways, and I love your family, and I just want to possibly see if I can fit into your life in some way. I know this seems fast, but I think I fell in love with you the very first time I saw you at that coffee shop. I never used to believe in love at first sight, but I am a true believer now.”

“Are you just saying this so you can get in my bedroom and get a blow job?”

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “Plus, I didn’t want a blow job in your bedroom.”

“What did you want?”

“I wanted to fuck you,” he said, chuckling.

“Finn.”

“It might be a little tasteless now, but maybe the next time we come over, we can sneak in there.”

“Who says there’s going to be a next time?” I said, glaring at him.

“I’m hoping there will be,” he said, catching hold of my pinkie and interlocking it with his. “I know you’re mad at me, and I know it’s going to take some time to regain your trust, but I’ve got forever, and I want to prove to you that this is for real.”

“But how can I believe anything you said before?”

“I promise you I will never lie to you again, and I promise you I will never ask you to make eggs Benedict,” he smiled, “or scallops or branzino.”

“Or anything,” I said.

“You don’t have to make breakfast for me. I can do that,” he said. “Whatever you want.”

“Well, I’ll think about it,” I said, staring at him. “This is so weird.”

“But we like weird, don’t we?”

“Maybe,” I said, giggling.

I reached up, cupped the side of his face, and stared into his blue-green eyes, then pressed my lips against his. “I mean, this is obviously proof that I’m crazy because I’m likely going to give you another chance, but only because the sex was that good.”

“I know,” he said. “I got the cock—”

“Stop,” I groaned. “Please never say that again.”

“Okay.” He laughed. “What about if I said you got the pussy that don’t stop giving?”

“What?”

He wrinkled his nose. “Okay. That didn’t sound great, either.”

Then I pressed my finger to his lips. “Stop saying everything in your head. It’s goofy.”

“Okay,” he said, laughing. “Can I ask you one more thing, Harriet?”

---